OneShots
by iparasitic
Summary: Starring various OCs, Stargate characters and maybe even a crossover or two. Purely for my own amusement.
1. Chapter 1

"What is this... skateboarding?"

"It's a hobby, although it can sometimes be a sport as well. Come on, two of the marines offered to teach me, maybe you'll like it too." '_Although the idea of a wraith skateboarding is laughable..._'

"And why is it you want me to learn as well as you?" He continued striding next to her as they made their way, escorted of course, down to one of the empty areas of Atlantis. Likely the corridors had once been used for something, but now they merely offered recreational space when the time was available.

"So you really enjoy just doing nothing and working on computers?"

He chuffed, turning his eyes away to avoid seeing the grin that he just knew was on her features. Damn right he didn't, but allowing the Atlanteans an insight into wraith culture wasn't exactly on his to-do list. So, he mused, allowing them to share some aspects of their culture was a fair negotiation. Already he'd witnessed birthday celebrations and taken part in poker night.

Finally they came upon the two marines – Richard and Matt respectively – who were both wearing Cheshire grins when she explained that the Commander might possibly be giving it a go as well. Both of them, of course, had cameras with them ready to secretly capture any accidents for later giggles.

"Brought a friend Pris'?"

"Yes. I thought he could use a change of scenery."

"A'right, let's get you kitted up."

"Is that really necessary Matt?"

"Knowing you..."

They strapped on the knee and elbow pads, and even plonked the helmet on and made sure it was secure. She looked ridiculous, but it at least matched the cream and black colouration of her clothing, so all was not entirely lost. Todd eyed the vehicle in question. With four wheels and what looked like a decorated shaped plank of wood, it seemed to have no real form of braking, let alone steering.

"Alright, Prissy, go for it." She got on top of it, wobbling a little before taking on a stance that Todd recognised as being one of those taken during a martial art – legs a shoulders-width apart, arms bent. Arching an eyebrow up, she then turned to look over her shoulder at him for approval...

...only to get shoved. Hard. With a squeal, down the corridor she went, picking up speed towards the mattress they'd managed to commandeer to provide something of a crashmat. Unknowing of how to turn, she leant down to try and manually turn the end before it came to a halt, sending her ass over tit onto the spongy material. Richard and Matt were almost on the floor with laughter, but Todd, unknowing of just how easy a skill this actually was to pick up, showed concern. Or at least, as much as he dared show in public at any rate. Striding over briskly, he shoved the offending toy out of the way with a clatter and peered down at her from his considerable 6ft something of height. He, for now, refused to crouch within sight of the marines – off duty or not.

"Are you alright?"

"Never better!"

He helped her up, letting go once she was back on terra firma before she picked up the strange item and paced back to the marines. Just as he was about to snarl a comment at them, she spoke first.

"How can I not do that again?"

"Lean, you need to lean if you want to change direction. And braking, just move your foot off and put it on the ground."

"Ok, try two!"

John strode down towards the corridor where he'd last heard radio communication from concerning the wraith and his unlikely, not to mention willing human companion. He had a gut feeling and damn well needed it to be proven wrong. But what did he see when he rounded the corner? Certainly not what he expected in the slightest. Prisca rolled past him on a skateboard, cheerily waving to him as he strode towards the intersection of the underground corridors. Todd then skimmed behind him on another one, easily turning using a simple rearranging of his legs and a jerking motion of the board below him. Their assigned marines were clicking away, no doubt ready to tell the rest of the lads what they'd been doing that day while off-duty. He cleared his throat loud enough for it to catch all ears in the room, and eight wheels came to a halt – one slower than the other, resulting in a muffled screech.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"I believe, Sheppard, it is called skateboarding."


	2. Chapter 2

His hissed irritably, forcing himself to transmit the docking instructions to the battered, slightly smoking cruiser that was currently hovering unsteadily off to the side of his ship. The transmission asking for permission to board had been garbled enough – something about a mutiny, with one of the passengers holding a genetic marker that'd prove beneficial. He hadn't been entirely listening at first; Teyla's temporary absence as Queen was holding steady, but the mutterings of the crew were slowly starting to surface again. Anything to distract them was welcome, even if it came in the form of a tatty crew. Kenny took his place at the secondary helm, monitoring their course as he swept away down the corridors towards the Hangar bay.

That's when he felt it. The familiar soothing comfort of radiating power that only came from one thing in their species – a Queen. This one, from what he could tell without actually prying into her mind, was weak and mostly withdrawn, although bolstered by the presence of what he presumed to be her Commander, or a loyal high-caste male if not that. The doors slid open and his initial impression was instantly confirmed as he sent his eyes roving from head to toe of the pair. The Lieutenant looked lopsided, a dent in his arm confirming what the scent of blood was from to match the patch bound roughly over one of his eyes. The female, a head shorter and only about 5ft 4'' tall in comparison to his over 6ft, looked equally battered, with the fingers of one hand bent and misshapen with gouges over her shoulders and neck. Evidently they'd fought their way to get here. As he was the initiator and they the tolerated guests, their minds remained silent. Todd eventually made contact as per etiquette.

"_What is it you seek here_?"

"_A place to stay until our injuries are fully healed_."

"_Why can you not just go back to your own Hive_?"

"_Because they mutinied against me. They killed those loyal. It was only due to my Lieutenant having heard of your recent exploits within this area that we found an uncharted, unpatrolled route through my... former territory to get here_."

He grunted under his breath. So the civil war hadn't entirely become as quiet as he'd formerly suspected then. Damn. With a quiet sigh through his pointed teeth, he led the way to their quarters – while none were adequately furnished enough to accommodate even a visiting Queen, this wasn't his flagship and having her in the quarters set aside for Teyla's impossible return to rule might be seen as inappropriate by most of the crew. He struck up conversation idly as he paced through the corridors lit with comforting glowing lights and with a carpet of mist sneaking around their ankles.

"I will have a drone show you where the feeding quarters are, if you require it."

"My Queen, ma-"

"Yes, you may. You have more need to heal than I."

The Lieutenant nodded gratefully, looking almost fit to collapse as he staggered after the faceless soldier that had came towards them wordlessly from another route. And so, Todd led her on regardless, ignoring the curious tugs and questions filtering into his mind from what crew had seen her pass.

"You do not wish to feed with him?"

"I have no need to."

He stopped then, peering over his shoulder with an arched 'brow ridge. She was pale, that much he could tell from the greyish tinge that'd crept into her cheekbones. Her bones wouldn't set unless the nourishment was provided, and the gouges would certainly scar. He turned properly then, meeting her own golden eyes with a frown. Without a word, she raised her damaged hand. While the flesh was intact along her palm, not even the faintest sign of a feeding slit resided there. His expression changed to one of surprise, his eyes flicking between the unmarked skin and her own features.

"How...?"

"I was born this way. A genetic throwback, according to one of my scientists, from when we used our jaws to latch onto our victims rather than our hands. I drain life force the old way."

He huffed softly then resumed leading her. But instead of departing once they'd come to the quarters she'd use during her undetermined stay, he watched instead as she sank wearily onto the fur-covered seat before moving over. While he hadn't had contact with the human occupants of Atlantis for some time, this battered and exiled Queen might hold the link within her blood to perfect this supposed retrovirus that their scientist Beckett had been working on. Carefully, his eyes fixed on her features for any signs that she was about to lash out; he began to examine her wounds more intently. Her index and middle finger was dislocated, the flesh torn around the knuckles from where she'd probably put up a decent amount of fight. He folded his hand around it, placing his other over it as well before meeting her gaze levelly. She was unique; black waves rested against the greenish pallor of her shoulders, framing slightly pointed ears and those defined features. But it was her tattoo that kept his attention most; a swirling design that encircled her eyes, accentuating the depth of the sunken sockets and drawing his attention further into those golden pools. Whether intentional or not, this weary creature was like a snake. Beautiful and deadly in its sinister grace.

"To allow you to use them again, I will have to position the fingers back into place. It may hurt."

"Just do it..."

Of course it would hurt. Just because they were biologically immortal, didn't mean that they didn't feel pain like any other living creature; they merely ignored it better, or learnt how to if not that. Slowly increasing the pressure, he finally heard the satisfying cracks as the bones were forced back into place even as her mind briefly lashed out at his. Not a peep of sound came from between her lips, which were tightened into a compressed wince. It was a decent show of strength, but an unnecessary one.

"I shall leave bandages and water for your Lieutenant to treat your gouges with," he murmured after, rising to his feet again before departing in a rustle of leather. It would have been inappropriate for him to treat all of her injuries, especially since one of her former subordinates was also a guest.

He'd requested they join him on the bridge. Two days had passed since their arrival, most of which he suspected had been spent sleeping and recovering their strength. The cruiser was in almost as bad shape as they'd been; it was a miracle that it hadn't exploded en-route. Sliding his hands into the console and opening his mind to the hive ship's network, he steered the ship along a course that would take them within communication's range of Atlantis. He still remembered its location, perhaps to Sheppard's disappointment. Even if he'd never actually known the co-ordinates, he'd spent enough time there to relate it to other nearby planets based on information gleamed from workers and other Hives. While he had no desire to make it known to those within the alliance that he needed them, his precious cargo might finally prove to be what he needed to resume the power he'd once been in the galaxy. Onward into the stars he drove...


	3. Chapter 3

"What the...?"

McKay eyed the computer monitor suspiciously as though what had just occurred was its fault, running his eyes over what the screen was displaying with a growing expression of surprise as he realised just who it was from. That was when his radio crackled.

"Who is it McKay?"

"...It's Todd."

That got everybody down into the non-networked computer lab faster than you could shake a stick at, including Woolsey along with 'the team' who'd been thankfully in the briefing room anyway. While anything the wraith was up to was honestly of little concern to them, they all knew from past encounters that he only stooped to addressing them when shit was just about to hit the fan. Eventually they were all gathered before the main screen, and the video on it crackled into life. He was alone and, surprisingly, looking healthier the ever. The less they thought about that part the better. Well aware that he was being the initiating party, he spoke first.

"I have found something, or rather someone, who may be able to find a permanent solution to Beckett's current problem with the retrovirus."

Silence fell over the group. Up until now, the virus had required daily doses in order to prevent the subject from starting to partially regress again back into their original forms. Todd, as a scientist, was likely to know this from rumours. No need to mention he'd briefly encountered Michael's memories over the network by accident. It was, unsurprisingly, Beckett who spoke first – doctor to doctor almost.

"What makes you think that?"

"All wraith possess a feeding slit, correct?"

"Aye, that's what we assume."

"The one on my ship doesn't."

This was precisely what Carson had one day been praying almost to find; a throwback, a mutation within the wraith genetic code that could be utilised into perfecting the treatment. While he still regretted what had occurred to Michael on a moral level, finding a solution for the apex predators that didn't involve them feeding on humans was also a priority. Without a word, he looked over his shoulder to Woolsey, whose expression was teetering between a look like he'd tripped over a goldmine and a more professional wariness. Then he curtly nodded, and the doctor was off.

"We'll send an escort – come in a cruiser, we'll meet you in the Hangar Bay."

Neutral, for now.

They stood waiting in the Gate room, watching as the Marine's flanked in first. Todd's figure was instantly recognisable, even without John spotting that unique starburst tattoo – his height and slightly scruffy appearance alone was enough to set him apart. He walked alongside...

...shit, a Queen. Never had they seen one outside of a Hiveship yet. She stood shorter than Todd, almost equal in height to Teyla, with a figure that matched but embraced within the confines of supple brownish leather rather than the uniform trousers and bodice that the Athosian often favoured. Striding beside the Commander with an unreadable expression, John found it difficult to believe that this one was any different from the rest – but hey, at least he wasn't on the floor at her knees getting his face caressed before being fed on. Hopefully that scenario wouldn't repeat itself. Ronon merely looked twitchy, his features set into that seemingly permanent scowl as his fingers seemed to tap-dance over the hilt of his gun. Only Rodney and Carson seemed to be reasonably expectant rather than judging; then again, they were the scientists who'd be working with them, and hindering progress with fear would only induce setbacks and mistakes. Woolsey, as the 'host' of this meeting, stood before the pair and nodded his head, almost muttering a mantra in his head – 'don't stare, don't stare'.

"Welcome to Atlantis."

"Thank you for having us. May we discuss what we came here for now?" Ever impatient, that was Todd. While he could normally wait centuries for the result of things, being inside the Ancient's city reminded him of both his former glory and his recent bouts in prison at the hand of his 'brother'. While the civilian looked a little disgruntled at being interrupted, he at least understood why and soon led the way towards the briefing room. Thankfully the table was large enough to accommodate all of them without the issue of personal – Todd and the unnamed Queen at one end, and everybody else at the other. Sheppard, impatient as always, started as soon as those leather-clad butts had touched the seats.

"Well we know Todd, but who are you? Got a name?" Silence followed.

"I'll call you Julie, you look like a Julie to me. So who are you?"

"A betrayed Queen of a former alliance."

"So you're now Todd's Queen?"

"No. That position is still the one he called Teyla's, or it is so according to his crew."

Teyla looked momentarily surprised at this, but then vaguely remembered the threat she'd given Todd after that fiasco, to remove him entirely. While she no longer really cared about the wraiths themselves, she would reluctantly admit that Todd's alliance had kept away from the city until now.

"Well, as much as this catch-up is interesting, let's get down to business."

"Yes... That would be wise." Todd's growling statement got across his impatience perfectly, and John halted mid-sentence before getting himself comfortable. Poor Ronon, the man didn't seem to be able to decide between staying there and glaring or walking out. Carson took up the reins.

"So, what is it that might increase the effectiveness of the retrovirus?"

Without a word, she slowly moved her right hand before baring the palm for their inspection. Sharp inhales and even a grunt of surprise off the Runner followed, as they saw nothing where the feeding slit should be. Beckett, ever the more tactful, nodded and restrained the eager smile on his face. Sure, it might be creepy as hell being in the same room as two apex predators, but this was just the sort of breakthrough he'd been hoping, almost praying, to find.


End file.
